Pest Peeves Blog

What Are Cockroaches Looking For?

If you have ever been frightened by a cockroach coming out of nowhere or, worse, somewhere that you definitely do NOT want to see cockroaches coming out of (think purse or cereal bowl) then you understand the importance of making your home as unattractive to cockroaches as possible. Here we will focus on what roaches are attracted to and how you can try to keep them from invading.

What are cockroaches attracted to?

Cockroaches are attracted to moisture. If you have a lot of moisture in your yard and around the perimeter of your home, you are more likely to have cockroaches hanging around.

Cockroaches are attracted to food. If you have any sort of food in your yard, cockroaches will love you for it. They are attracted to fruit that has fallen from trees, vegetables left in gardens to rot, pet food that has been left outside, the remnants of your last barbecue, open trash cans, and more.

Cockroaches are attracted to filth. If you have areas in your kitchen that have not been deep cleaned, cockroaches will want to stick around. Areas between the stove and the countertop, the inside of a toaster, and underneath refrigerators are common places for filth to build up.

So what can be done to keep cockroaches from invading? The key here is removing what attracts them in the first place. Taking these steps will not only deter roaches but a whole host of other household pests as well.

Dry out your yard. Make sure there is no standing water in your yard or around your house. Remove items that retain rainwater, such as toys or yard clutter of any kind. Also, make sure you have no blocked gutters.

Dry out your home. If there are any leaky pipes, tubs, toilets, etc, make sure they are repaired and in good working order. If fixtures are "sweaty" this can be remedied by putting fans and/or dehumidifiers in place.

Clean your yard. Remove food sources as much as possible from the outside of your home. Remove leftover barbecue food, don't leave pet food out, and tightly cover all trash cans with lids that have a good seal.

Clean your home. Pay close attention to places that generally have food crumbs, such as kitchens, pantries, teenagers' bedrooms, and the like. Also make certain that all foods are either stored in the refrigerator, or in tightly sealed containers that cockroaches and other pests cannot chew their way into.

Clean hard-to-reach places in your kitchen. Move your stove out completely and give the sides a thorough cleaning. Do the same with the refrigerator, toaster, and any other spot where food spills have been allowed to build up.

Seal up any gaps or cracks. Make sure to fill any gaps or cracks you can find in your foundation and walls, and make sure all door sweeps and screens are intact and in good working order.

It is no fun having cockroaches crawl out from anywhere in your home. If you would rather be able to rest easy and not have to worry about these horrifying creatures, we can help. While it is possible to keep roaches from invading, once they have taken root, it is nearly impossible to get rid of them without professional help. Let Nozzle Nolen assist you with this frustrating pest problem. Life is just better without cockroaches.

I just want to say thank you for freeing my home from the pests that we have been dealing with for the last few weeks…I was so impressed when the Service Tech showed up on time and was so professional…I look forward to visits in the future. Thank you Nozzle Nolen for having such professional experts in the field of pest control.